Door mechanism



April 7, 1925. 1,532,560

' c. g. TOMKINSON DOOR ME CHANI SM Filed'Ooc. 11,- 1922 IN VENTOR M Char/as 75277%//2im ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

STATES 1,532,560- PATENT OFFICE.

' -=LES C. TOMKINSON, F PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 J. EDWARD OGDEN, OFMOUNTA INVILDE, NEW YORK.

DOOR MECHANISM.

Application filed October 11, 1922. Serial No. 593,710..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that i, CHAnLns C. ToMmN- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plainfield, county of Union, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Door Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to doors such as are used for closing large openings in warehouses, pier sheds and like structures and more particularly to a common type of such doors which are mounted to raise and swing inwardly to inclined or horizontal osition in order to conserve head room. ounterbalancing means is provided to facilitate the operation of the doors.

One object of the invention is to provide counterbalancing means for the link type of door having a vertical component efi'ective during the break out of the door whereby the door. opening movement is facilitated.

Another object of the invention is toprovide positive and efi'ective means. for guiding the door to its closed position in such a manner as to overcome an lateral pressure against the door such as wind pressure.

Another object of the invention is to secure the proper o ening and closing of doors of the character described and the retention thereof in closed position.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this application and in which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing in closed position a door constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the door sections in partially open position.

F1g. 3 is an elevational view showing the.

door sections in full open position.

Fig. 4 Is an elevational view on an enlarged scale showing the link connection to the upper door section.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 4. but showing the link latch in engagement with the latch releasing member.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view partly in section on an enlarged scale showing the means for guiding the door during its break out movement.

The invention may be briefly described as a door comprising a plurality of sections mounted for vertical and lateral movement. Mechanism is provided for raising the lower section or sections to a position overlapping the upper section and for subsequently paisin and swinging the sections as a unit lateral y to inclined or horizontal position. The door is supported by link structure and this link structure is so connected to the door that the effective length of the link or links is varied during the initial movement of the sections in unison or during the break out movement. Means is provided for engaging and guiding the door during the break out movement and for counterbalancing both sections during this movement thereby facilitating the door opening movement. Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

As shown in the drawings the door coinprises an upper section 10 and a lower section 11. The lower section has secured adjacent its lower end rollers 12 disposed in suitable guideways and the upper section is prowided with the usual means for guiding the lower section in its vertical movement. The lower section 11 also has secured thereto laterally projecting lugs or brackets 13 adapted to engage the lower edge 14 of the upper section when the lower section has been raised to a position overlying the upper section.

A separate counterbalancing mechanism may be provided for each door section if desired but in the form of the invention illustrated a single counterbalancing weight 15 has secured thereto a sheave 16 around which passes a cable 17. One end of this cable is connected at some suitable point preferably as shown at 18 intermediate the upper and lower edges to the upper door section lO The other end of the cable 17 is connected to the lower door section at a suitable point preferably a point near the lower end of this section as shown at 19. The two ends of the cable 17 pass over a pair of sheaves 20 and 21 respectively to the upper and lower door sections. In the form of the invention shown these two sheaves are mounted on a single shaft 22 and the sheave 21 is secured fast to the shaft and the sheave 20 is rotatably mounted thereon.

The upper door section is supported by link mechanism including a link 23 pivoted at- 24 to a fixed bracket 25 carried by the building structure in which the door is lio mounted. The main supporting link 23 is connected to the upper door section through an intermediate or auxiliary link 26, the two links being pivotally connected at 27 and the link 26 being pivoted to the upper door section at 28. As the upper door section is engaged and raised by the lower door section, the link 23 swings laterally and the link 26 folds on the link 23 to the position shown in F i 2.

leam is provided for-latching the link 26 in folded position and this means comprises a latch '29 pivoted at 30 to an extension 31 of the link 23, the latch being normally pulled downwardlyby a spring.32. The latch 29 is adapted to engage over a projection 33 formed on the end of the link 26 and the pivot pin 28 projects beyond the link 26 and is adapted to seat in a notch 34 formed adjacent the lower end of the link 23. The latch 29 is normally retained in inoperative position by a cam 35 formed on the door casing and the latch moves to operative position when the door sections move away from the door casing during their break out movement. It will thus be seen that the door has a vertical component of movement during the break out and during this movement the effective length of the link supporting mechanism is varied or shortened.

Also it should be noted that during this vertical component of the door movement, the counter-balancing weight 15 is effective on both the lower and the upper door sections thereby materially assisting in the break out movement of the door. Means is also provided for facilitating the movement of the door during the break out by guiding the door through an arcuate path. This means comprises ahook shaped member pivoted. at 41 on a bracket 42 carried by the door casing. The hook shaped end 43 of this member normally engages a stud 44 carried by the upper door section and preferably positioned near the upper edge thereof. The member 40 is retained in engagement with the stud 44 by means of a spring 45 which tends to swing the member 40 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 41. When the door sections are swung in unison during their break out movement the member 40 will follow the sections thereby guiding the door through an arcuate path.

In the embodiment of the invention shown the member 40 swings through substantially 90 degrees and is limited in its swing by a stop 46 carried by the bracket 42 and disposed in the path of movement of the member 40. The guiding member is also effectiveduring the closing movement of the door and at a predetermined point in the closing movement the stud 44 engages the hooked end 43 and the door is thereupon positively guided into closed position. The guiding member therefore facilitates both the opening and the closing door movements by guiding the door through the break out and into order to permit the door sections to ride upwardly thereon and as shown in Figs. 1-3 the connection 24 between. the link 23 and the fixed bracket 25 may be formed as a pin and slot connection to permit the door to raise on the shelf brackets 60.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of further modification and that further changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is 1. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and link mechanism for supporting and swinging said door comprising a pair of pivotally connected links, one link being pivoted on a fixed pivot and the other link being pivoted to the door, the latter link being foldable on the other link during the vertical door opening movement.

2. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and link mechanism for supporting and swinging said door comprising a pair of pivotally connected links, one link being pivoted on a fixed pivot and the other link being pivoted to the door, the latter link being foldable on the otherlink during the vertical door opening movement, and means for retaining the link in folded position during the remaining portion of the door opening movement.

3. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and link mechanism for supporting and swinging said door comprising a loo pair of pivotally connected links, one link pair of pivotally connected links, one link being pivoted on a fixed pivot and the other link being pivoted to the door, the latter link being foldable on the other link during the vertical door opening movement, and counterbalancing means operative on said door during the vertical movement thereof.

A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement, oonnterbalancing mechanism therefor and means for furnishing an additional counterbalancing effect during the break out movement including link supporting and swinging means comprising a plurality of inter-connected links foldable one on the other during the initial break out movement.

6. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement, counterb-alancing mechanism therefor, and means for furnishing an additional counterbalancing effect during the break out movement including link supporting and swinging means comprising a pair of links pivoted to and foldable on each other and having their free ends'pivoted respectively to the door and to a fixed support.

7 A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and comprising an upper and a lower section, counterbalancing means connected to the lower and upper sections and means including a pair of links, foldable one on the other, for effecting through said counterbalancing means an additional connterbalancing effect during the break out movement.

' 8. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and comprising an upper and a lower section, counterbalancing means connected to the upper and lower sections and means including a pair of links, foldable one on the other, for effecting through said counterbalancing means an additional counterbalancing effect during the break out movement, and releasable means for retaining saidlinks in folded position subsequent to the break out movement.

9. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and comprising an upper and a lower section, counterbalancing means connected to the upper and lower sections, and means including a pair of pivotally connected links, foldable one on the other and pivotally connected respectively to a fixed support and to the upper door -section, for effecting through said counterbalancing means an additional counterbalancing effect during the break out movement.

10. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and dink mechanism for supporting and swinging the door, said mechanism including a link pivoted to a fixed support and having a lost motion connection so constructed and arranged that the effective length of the link is shortened when the door is raised and the link is swung from supporting to swinging position.

11. A door arranged for vertical and lateral movement and link mechanism for supporting and swinging the door, said mechanism including a link pivoted to a fixed support and having a lost motion connection including a latch so constructed and arranged that the efiective length of the link is shortened when the door is raised and the link is swung from supporting to swinging position. H v

'12. A doorarranged for vertical and lateral movement and link mechanism for supporting and swinging the door, said mechanism including a link pivoted to a fixed support and having a connection to the door so constructed and arranged that the link will be shortened upon the initial opening movement of the door.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of October, 1922.

CHARLES C. TOMKINSON. Witness: a

I. B. Moonn. 

